2016 NFL Draft 1st Round Rookie Salary Projections

The 1st Round of the 2016 NFL draft is in the books and we can now begin to project the salaries for this year’s class of rookies. The nights biggest winner was, of course, #1 overall pick Jared Goff who will earn approximately $27,946,656 over his rookie contract with the Los Angeles Rams, including a $18,515,839 signing bonus. Fellow quarterback Carson Wentz, who was drafted #2 overall by the Philadelphia Eagles will make similar money - a projected $26,685,484 overall including a $17,598,623 signing bonus. Running back Ezekiel Elliott, the former Ohio State standout, will make approximately $25,882,931 on his rookie deal with the Dallas Cowboys after being chosen 4th overall.

Laremy Tunsil, who was projected to be drafted as high as No. 5, fell to the Dolphins at No. 13 after a video was posted on his twitter account which appeared to show him smoking marijuana. The drop cost him at least $8 million in salary on his rookie deal, estimated to be worth $12.4 million.

How Does NFL Rookie Compensation Work?

Compensation for 2016 NFL rookies is based on two different factors: the league's Salary Cap and its Rookie Compensation Pool. The NFL's salary cap (based on the terms negotiated during the 2011 collective bargaining agreement) is expected to be approximately $155.27 million in 2016 (an increase of 9% over 2015). The second, more significant factor, is the Rookie Compensation Pool which puts limitations on the total amount teams can spend on a rookie's first year salary and the total 4-year contract.

This year's league-wide pool is expected to be approximately $1 billion (up from $975 million last year) and is split among all 32 NFL clubs in proportion to their total number of draft picks and the position of those picks within each round. Teams who choose earlier and/or have stockpiled picks will thus have a larger piece of the pool to draw from. While this season's salary cap has risen by more than $10 million over last year's, the actual signing bonuses for rookies are expected to stay approximately the same.

There is also an inherent difference between draftees picked within rounds 1-2 and those between 3-7. Early round draft picks (due in large part to the large investments the teams are making) are much more likely to have their salaries guaranteed. Secondly, the NFL's collective bargaining agreement has a provision referred to as the "25% Increase Rule" which prohibits a rookie's base salary plus bonus from increasing by more than 25% each year of their contract. This is why larger bonuses then allow for a significantly increased salaries in subsequent years as compared to later round picks. The 4-year minimum base salaries for players in this year's draft are as follows: $450,000 (Year 1), $525,000 (Year 2), $600,000 (Year 3), $675,000 (Year 4).

If eventually signed to a contract, each rookie drafted will get a 4-year deal, whereas undrafted rookies are only eligible for 3-year contracts. Furthermore, first round players have exclusive fifth-year options in their contracts, versus players drafted between rounds 3 and 7 who are only eligible for a proven performance escalator (PPE). Fifth-year options allow teams to hold on to the rights of their first round draftees for an additional year, assuming that they inform the player that they are picking up said option between the off-season of their third and fourth contract years. Alternatively, the proven performance escalator allows players selected later in the draft to receive additional compensation assuming they participate in at least 35% of their team's defensive or offensive plays during the first 3 years of their deal. The league's collective bargaining agreement also bars teams from giving rookies option bonuses, option exercise/non-exercise fees, as well as voidable years and salary advances... all of which are available to veterans.

2016 NFL Draft 1st Round Rookie Salary Projections:

PICK

TEAM

PLAYER

TOTAL CONTRACT

SIGNING BONUS

1

Rams

Jared Goff

$27,946,656

$18,515,839

2

Eagles

Carson Wentz

$26,685,484

$17,598,623

3

Chargers

Joey Bosa

$25,882,931

$17,014,947

4

Cowboys

Ezekiel Elliott

$24,965,720

$16,347,885

5

Jaguars

Jalen Ramsey

$23,360,590

$15,180,521

6

Ravens

Ronnie Stanely

$20,494,304

$13,095,946

7

49ers

Deforest Buckner

$18,201,276

$11,428,289

8

Titans

Jack Conklin

$15,908,248

$9,760,632

9

Bears

Leonard Floyd

$15,793,589

$9,677,246

10

Giants

Eli Apple

$15,163,008

$9,218,640

11

Buccaneers

Vernon Hargreaves

$14,188,465

$8,509,882

12

Saints

Sheldon Rankins

$12,812,638

$7,509,284

13

Dolphins

Laremy Tunsil

$12,468,695

$7,259,143

14

Raiders

Karl Joseph

$11,895,437

$6,842,185

15

Browns

Corey Coleman

$11,666,134

$6,675,459

16

Lions

Taylor Decker

$10,978,226

$6,175,162

17

Falcons

Keanu Neal

$10,748,913

$6,008,393

18

Colts

Ryan Kelly

$10,462,293

$5,799,939

19

Bills

Shaq Lawson

$10,290,318

$5,674,865

20

Jets

Darron Lee

$10,232,990

$5,633,174

21

Texans

Will Fuller

$10,175,663

$5,591,482

22

Redskins

Josh Doctson

$10,061,005

$5,508,095

23

Vikings

Laquon Treadwell

$9,946,360

$5,424,717

24

Bengals

William Jackson

$9,716,511

$5,257,947

25

Steelers

Artie Burns

$9,602,409

$5,174,568

26

Broncos

Paxton Lynch

$9,487,751

$5,091,181

27

Packers

Kenny Clark

$9,373,096

$5,007,798

28

49ers

Joshua Garnett

$9,315,779

$4,938,976

29

Cardinals

Robert Nkemdiche

$8,612,151

$4,454,381

30

Panthers

Vernon Butler

$8,408,101

$4,305,983

31

Seahawks

Germain Ifedi

$8,276,716

$4,210,427

Jason Belzer is Founder of GAME, Inc. and a Professor of Organizational Behavior and Sports Law at Rutgers University. Follow him on Twitter @JasonBelzer.